This Writer’s Second Conference

I attended my second in-person writer’s conference August 7th and 8th. It was at the same location as the first conference. You can read about my first experience by clicking here.

For some reason, I wasn’t nervous about attending this year. In fact, I gave only a small amount of effort to preparing the pitch for the two meetings I scheduled with an editor and an agent.

Part of this could have been because I had company the week before the conference. Or it may have been the fact that I thought I would have to be attending all alone.

As it turns out, another writer from my local writing group was going all three days. She offered me a ride on the days I attended. (If you read this, thank you, Linda!)

It was wonderful getting to know her better, listening to her pitch and having someone to eat lunch with on Friday. The fact that I didn’t have to drive? Extra bonus.

Friday

I loved the keynote speaker at the opening session. It was William Kenower, and he made me laugh so hard I forgot to be nervous.

I barely got a taste of the 9AM session since my first pitch was at 9:40 a.m. What I did learn is that agents respect writers who attend conferences. Whew! It isn’t the Big Bad Wolf I’ll be facing in a few minutes *wipes brow*

I met with an editor from a small press that was established in 2012. She ADORES dragon stories and has been searching for one starring REAL dragons since she began working with this house.

That means she liked my pitch and asked me to send her pages. And a synopsis *gags*

I used the extra time between my pitch and the next class to get a critique on my manuscript. They have authors who run a “Manuscript ER” servce for free – first come, first served.

“What do you want me to critique?” I wanted to know whether my beginning would hook that dragon-loving editor who requested twenty pages.

“I’m hooked.” And she offered sugestions about the two places where she had to re-read because what WASN’T on the page confused her. Easily done.

Yes, I was probably glowing for the rest of the morning. So who cared that the next session wasn’t compelling? Not me?

After lunch, it was back to the workshops. In this case, a delightful workshop presented by fantasy author Karen Azinger. She has an epic fantasy series out and idolizes Brandon Sanderson as much as I do. I immediately searched for her books on Amazon (and was disappointed not to find them at the conference’s bookstore).

The workshop was all about world-building. She gave me tons to think about to sprinkle the “flavor” of government and culture into my novel. I loved her energy and passion. Maybe I will grow up to be her one day.

The final thing in the afternoon was an opportunity to plot out our novel using the system of a children’s author. I love my Scrivener, so I didn’t really get much new information from this session.

Saturday

The two best things about this day:

Another yes from an agent at my 9:20 pitch meeting

Listening to bestselling authors who live in Oregon answer MY questions during lunch

I was disappointed to leave the Larry Brooks Storyfix session early for my pitch, but he gave us a link to the power point slides. I’m hoping to get the checklist for revision from that (at some point after I get the queries out).

The revision workshop at the end of the day was helpful, but there was too much for the presenter to cover in 90 minutes. I got a few good ideas about fleshing out my setting, though. It was fun to interact with the other writers in the room and hear a published author talk about her revision process.

Afterward

This post is making its way up on my blog quite late for a Monday showing. I would apologize, but I’ve been busy reading through my manuscript – sanding away the rough edges.

I sent the query letter and the first thirty pages off this afternoon to the agent I met with on Saturday. I hope she gets hooked like the woman who gave me a read in the “Manuscript ER” room at the conference.

Of course, she can’t respond too soon, because I still haven’t finished combing through the OTHER 300 pages of the manuscript. It needs primping and perfecting, I assure you.

Also, I’ve been reading Linda’s first fifty pages. I want to give her feedback she can use to beautify her manuscript before she sends it off to the three agents who gave her the nod at the conference.

If you’re trying to get a traditional publishing contract, attend a writer’s conference. Cough up the extra cash and pitch some agents who represent your genre.

Have you attended a writer’s conference? Pitched to agents or editors in person?

Related

Sharon Lee spent her youth talking to animals, who never replied, until she escaped to Narnia, where animals did talk back. The magical portal of reading made her a dream weaver. Now, she invites fantasy addicts and dreamers to time travel into immortal, mystical realms.

2 comments

I already sent the query and 30 pages to the agent I met. I’m still polishing the synopsis and will send it to the editor by tomorrow. All of it is a step toward getting a traditional contract for Doomsday Dragons.